FIFTEEN THINGS John McCain Underestimates

[Carol]

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RazBerryBeret (1000+ posts) Thu Jun-05-08 11:20 PM
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FIFTEEN THINGS John McCain Underestimates
Advertisements [?]Very good list from Mark Halperin:

1. The astonishing enthusiasm that Obama inspires in his supporters — and how much it contrasts with the respect, but not passion, McCain enjoys from his own backers. (And the size of Obama’s crowds…)

2. The “Major League vs Little League” difference between Obama’s infrastructure and his own.

3. The inherent difficulty/sensitivity of running against two figures at once. McCain will have to 1) explicitly criticize a sitting Republican president before Republican audiences and 2) prevent the historic event of electing the nation’s first African-American president that many in the country (and the media) desire.

4. The ever-present danger on the trail that he might evoke Bob Dole with a Bob Dole-like misstep (fall off a stage, sound like a Washington fossil, seem angry and out of touch).

5. How little most Americans care about foreign policy (beyond the Iraq War) when the economy is in the tank.

6. How many voters (even Republican stalwarts) dread the idea of a virtual third Bush term.

7. How many members of the media dread the idea of covering a virtual third Bush term (and how much they buy Obama’s argument that McCain is an extension of Bush-Cheney).

8. The extent to which McCain’s lack of an economic message could make Obama (who also is challenged in adequately addressing the economy) seem like Bob Rubin, Bill Clinton, and Lou Dobbs all rolled into one.

9. That many of his party’s wiseguys and wisegals see polling data suggesting his chances of winning are no more than 30% (and how much it infects their cable TV appearances).

10. That in modern America, perception is often reality and style often beats substance.

11. That age is only a number unless it’s a really high number — then it’s a liability.

12. How old he looks when he is acting “presidential” on the stump – and how incongruous it makes his message of change appear.

13. How powerful debates might be when the allegedly inexperienced Obama of allegedly questionable judgment goes toe-to-toe with McCain, even on national security, and is therefore deemed of sufficient strength and stature to be president by many.

14. How valuable Obama makes voters feel (”we are the change we have been waiting for”) – while McCain’s campaign instructs and lectures voters.

15. How forcefully Obama will now move to the center as a mainstream, optimistic candidate celebrating both change and America’s greatness.

http://thepage.time.com/halperin%E2%...nderestimates/

In other words they are admitting that Obama is an empty shirt that can speak well and inspire inthusiasm and blind loyalty, but has little following because of his policies and experience. The voters are dumb and can be hoodwinked into voting for him, and wink, wink....he'lll lie to the voters to make them think he's a moderate.

Tells you all you need to know about not only Obama, but also his followers.

[ralph wiggum]

Blah...blah...blah....

Yes, we know, McCain sucks, but most Republicans will vote for him. Obama is a decent orator, but he never says anything of substance, so most Democrats will vote for him.

McCain/Clinton 2008!!! :D :D

[Elspeth]

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In other words they are admitting that Obama is an empty shirt that can speak well and inspire inthusiasm and blind loyalty, but has little following because of his policies and experience. The voters are dumb and can be hoodwinked into voting for him, and wink, wink....he'lll lie to the voters to make them think he's a moderate.

Tells you all you need to know about not only Obama, but also his followers.

Exactly. McCain needs a young, vibrant VP that is likeable.

Or, maybe, Joe Lieberman?

[FDK]

15. How forcefully Obama will now move to the center as a mainstream, optimistic candidate celebrating both change and America’s greatness.

I wonder if the DUmmie realizes what it has just admitted here. Namely that Obama is just another run-of-the-mill pandering poliyician - though he does speechify right good. :D

[biccat]

Lets see, 15 things Obama underestimates:

1) Iran's potential for nuclear war in the Middle East
2) Al Qaeda's threat
3) The importance of a free and open democracy in Iraq
4) The deadening effect of large government
5) Americans' ability to innovate to solve problems - like health care
6) The importance of defense spending to keep America the world leader in defense
7) A child's will to live
8) The desire for Americans to give freely to charitable causes
9) The importance of the American family
10) The willingness of the Democrats to toss away yesterday's news
11) Democrats' clear intent to keep African Americans downtrodden
12) Marxist influences within his own campaign
13) The strength of the American economy
14) The willingness of religious groups to suffer for their faith
15) Americans' love for our country.

[Elspeth]

Lets see, 15 things Obama underestimates:

1) Iran's potential for nuclear war in the Middle East
2) Al Qaeda's threat
3) The importance of a free and open democracy in Iraq
4) The deadening effect of large government
5) Americans' ability to innovate to solve problems - like health care
6) The importance of defense spending to keep America the world leader in defense
7) A child's will to live
8) The desire for Americans to give freely to charitable causes
9) The importance of the American family
10) The willingness of the Democrats to toss away yesterday's news
11) Democrats' clear intent to keep African Americans downtrodden
12) Marxist influences within his own campaign
13) The strength of the American economy
14) The willingness of religious groups to suffer for their faith
15) Americans' love for our country.

Let me add some to this list:

16. The anger of Democratic women at the party and their willingness to vote against the party
17. The GOP strategists, including Rove, who will NOT play politically correctly nice like the Dems and the press.
18. The economic fears which will prevent many working class voters from voting for a Ted Kennedy Democrat with new spending programs.

and the biggie:

19. The General Election is winner-take-all, not a PARTIAL-CREDIT primary where you get delegates just for playing the game, even if you lose. Obama won fewer primaries than Senator Clinton and Clinton won the BIG, delegate-rich states like CA, NY, and PA (where she was outspent 3-1). But because the DNC gives you delegates, even when you lose, Obama ended up "clinching" the nomination, even though he lost the big states and the popular vote.

The GE doesn't work that way. Without the help of partial-credit, Obama will sink.

[everyman68]

Every available metric favors the Democrats... The oddsmakers in London and Vegas aren't fools...Obama is a little more than a 3-2 fovorite.

Since I have no dog in this fight the election shoulld be fun to watch. If we're taliking about Tony Rezko, Reverend Wright, and Father Pfleger in October Obama loses...If we're taking about $5.00 a gallon gas, rising unemployment, and a depression in the housing market Obama wins...